B.The
result of each of the above scenarios would be that each person would do what
is right in his own eyes.

C.Let’s carry this thinking into the spiritual realm.

1.What if there were no pattern, no plans, no guidelines, no instructions
for anything regarding the home, the church, salvation, worship, or the
Christian life?

2.What we would have is every person doing what is right in his own eyes.

3.We have seen this type of action many times in the past.

a.In the days of the judges (Judg. 17:6; 21:25)

b.In the days of Jeroboam (I Kings 12:25-33)

c.In the days of the Gentiles (Rom. 1:18-32)

D.Our lesson is
entitled: “Following the New Testament Pattern.” In this lesson, we will be
discussing what some refer to as “pattern theology.” We will assert that we must
follow the Biblical pattern.

I.SOME DESPISE PATTERN THEOLOGY

A.Examples:

1.“The germ that seems to be the culprit of division within the Churches
of Christ is pattern theology associated with a so-called worship
service carried out on Sunday morning” (www.freedominchrist.net,
“Oddities in Pattern Theology,” Dallas Burdette).

2.“If we were to take detailed pattern theology seriously, then we would
soon find ourselves in the midst of chaos” (www.kevinpendergrass.com, “When
Patterns Become Abstract,” Kevin Pendergrass).

3.“While we see ‘pattern’ as something that makes the whole congregation
spiritually and emotionally ill, it is probably true that these patterns have long
ago abandoned the Bible as the model for teaching text and song” (Lovelines,
Rubel Shelly as quoted from www.piney.com/WinPattern.html).

B.Why do they despise pattern theology? They want to be able to do what
is right in their own eyes: children’s church, praise teams, Lord’s Supper
take on any day of the week, celebration of “holy days,” instrumental music in
worship, expand the role of women in leadership positions in the church,
fellowship with denominations, and a host of other practices.

II.THREE QUESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO OPPOSE PATTERN THEOLOGY

A.If a person rejects the New Testament as a pattern, how does one
determine what is to be done, or, not to be done religiously?

B.If you practice something religiously, how do you determine that is
“must” be done?

1.Do you assemble on the first day of the week to worship? How do you
know this must be done?

2.Do you use unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine on the Lord’s
Table? How do you know this must be done?

C.How can you teach against the need for a pattern when the Bible clearly
reveals the need for patterns?

III.PATTERNS CAN BE FOUND IN EVERY BIBLICAL AGE

A.Patriarchal Age: the ark was built according to a pattern (Gen.
6:14-16)

Make
thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make to the ark, and shalt pitch
it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt
make it of: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth
of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou
make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the
ark shalt thou set in the side thereof: with lower, second, and third stories
shalt thou make it.

B.Mosaic Age: the tabernacle (Exo. 25:9)

According
to all that I have shewed thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the
pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

C.The Christian Age: the church (Heb. 8:5)

Who
serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished
of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou
make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount.

1.God gave Moses a pattern for the tabernacle.

2.The Old Testament tabernacle was a shadow of the heavenly tabernacle to
come under the New Covenant.

3.The spiritual tabernacle is “better” than the physical tabernacle
constructed by Moses.

4.Was God more concerned about how the OT tabernacle was constructed than
He was about the construction of the NT tabernacle? Surely not!

IV.PATTERN THEOLOGY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – NT WORDS

A.There are six English words to study.

1.Example used 11 times 4 Greek words

a.John 13:15 (5262)

b.I Timothy 4:12 (5179)

c.Hebrews 4:11 (5262)

d.Hebrews 8:5 (5262)

e.James 5:10 (5262)

f.I Peter 2:21 (5261)

g.Jude 1:7 (1164)

h.I Corinthians 10:6 (5179)

i.I Corinthians 10:11 (5179)

j.I Peter 5:3 (5179)

k.I Thessalonians 1:7 (5179)

2.Figure used 6 times 3 Greek
words

a.Romans 5:14 (5179)

b.I Corinthians 4:6 (3345)

c.Hebrews 9:9 (3850)

d.Hebrews 11:19 (3850)

e.Hebrews 9:24 (499)

f.I Peter 3:21 (499)

3.Pattern used 4 times 3 Greek words

a.I Timothy 1:16 (5296)

b.Titus 2:7 (5179)

c.Hebrews 8:5 (5179)

d.Hebrews 9:23 (5262)

4.Shadow used 3 times 1 Greek word

a.Colossians 2:7 (4639)

b.Hebrews 8:5 (4639)

c.Hebrews 10:1 (4639)

5.Form used 2 times 2 Greek
words

a.Romans 6:17 (5179)

b.II Timothy 1:13 (5296)

6.Likeness used 1 time 1 Greek word

a.Romans 6:5 (3667)

B.As we study the concept of “patterns” in the New Testament, we would
need to look at ten different Greek words.